


Microcosm

by NanakiBH



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Other, Quiet Garbage Time Between Cousins, Reunions, Would you smooch a ghost?, heck yeah
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-15
Updated: 2015-10-15
Packaged: 2018-04-26 11:44:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5003497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NanakiBH/pseuds/NanakiBH
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The things Mettaton wants in life are fame, recognition, and attention, but also...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Microcosm

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't realize that I'd walk out of Undertale with a little sad ghost as one of my favorite characters, but here I am. I love Blook and the robo.

He hadn't come home in a long time.

When he returned home, everything was where he left it, but there was also an unfamiliar sense of uneasiness. It was a lot quieter than he remembered. The words in his diaries felt like they had been written by someone else, filled with someone's desperate prayers for a more daring and exciting life. It was rare that he filled the pages of one diary before he would begin another, but there were enough of them to catalog a lifetime, and they all told the same story; the desire for something more.

The person who wrote those entries had been a naïve person.

That little human had shown him what was important. Back then, their encounter had ended in his defeat, but he hadn't lost. That human made him realize that there was something more important than ratings– that number that represented a faceless audience of souls he had no true connection to. Though they struggled mightily and were nearly overwhelmed numerous times, the human faced adversity and carried on with determination.

Though, in their struggle to leave the underground, the human hadn't left any of their friends behind. Even when they were apart, those friends were always at the human's side.

They hadn't left anyone behind.

That voice that had called in to his show had been so familiar to him that he hadn't been able to hold back the name that came out of his mouth.

Of course – he always had Alphys there with him. The two of them had known each other for a long time, yet, when he made the move to Hotland, there were others he left behind. That voice that came through and tearfully encouraged him was the most nostalgic sound.

His defeat was painless compared to the guilt that followed. The moment he gained his robot body must have been the moment he began caring more about the number of viewers he had than his number of real friends.

 

As he made his way next door and knocked on the door, he hoped that nothing else had changed.

Standing outside their door, he could hear the faint sound of music from inside. It sounded like it might've even been one of his own songs. It could've just been his imagination, but at least the thought made him smile.

It took a moment, but when the door opened, he looked down to find the little ghost who was there to greet him. There was a look of slight dismay on their face, but it was quickly replaced with a surprised smile. That was a rare expression – something he'd missed without even realizing.

There, too, everything was as he remembered, yet his cousin's home managed to feel more familiar than his own. Had it not been for the human, he wasn't sure whether they would've been able to smile so easily, but, in all of the important ways, Blooky was still Blooky. After they let him inside, the first thing they did was tell him how glad they were that he had been able to accomplish his dream. That was just like them – always thinking more about others than themself.

In the past, Mettaton might've told them to live a little and think about themself for a change, but now he was grateful for the attention. He could've gone anywhere and expected attention, but there was something different about having Napstablook's. They were just one number in a sea of numbers, but they had a face. They were someone he recognized. It was simple, but that might've been all it took to make them special.

Before he returned, he'd worried that things might've changed, but Napstablook didn't treat him like a guest. He was just their cousin; the same he's always been to them. All along, they'd been watching his rise to success as more than just a fan. They just... wanted to see him succeed.

The two of them immediately settled back into the way that things used to be.

Napstablook didn't have any chairs or couches at their place – not even at their desk. They floated.

Mettaton used to float, too, but even back then, he had a bed at home. When he would lay down, he'd dream about what it would be like to have a fabulous body with legs and arms. It might've seemed cumbersome to someone like Blooky, but he'd thought that the human form looked graceful. That was the form he wanted.

There weren't any chairs, but that was fine. Like old times, he just sat on the floor and crossed his legs.

“Hey,” he said spontaneously. “Do you want to listen to some music?”

Napstablook's eyes widened. “Really? You mean it? You... want to listen to music with me?”

That shouldn't have been anything new. “Of course. Why wouldn't I mean it? You and I used to watch TV all night together and lay on the floor for hours doing nothing. It might seem like something odd for me to say now that I'm this beautiful and popular, but those were some of the best times I ever had.”

He was just being honest, but something he said seemed to really strike Napstablook. Their mouth wobbled and their eyes teared up. Just as Mettaton was about to ask what was wrong with them, they nodded and a smile that looked painfully wide spread out across their face. “Yeah. Yeah, that's right. Those were good times.”

Holding the back of a hand to his mouth, Mettaton laughed modestly. “It's decided! Why don't you pick us out some tunes, darlin'?”

That time, Mettaton wasn't sure why Napstablook was giving him a surprised face.

“You heard me, didn't you?” he asked, quirking one metal eyebrow.

Napstablook fidgeted, floating nervously in place. “ _D-darlin'?_ ”

“Oh.” He hadn't even realized that they would react to something like that. Was it that odd? That was just something he started saying after he became a host. The people responded well to it. Before long, he was calling everyone 'darling' without a second thought. But when he tried to explain that to his cousin, they seemed to shrink and become unhappier. “Do you not want me to call you that?”

Fervently, they shook their head. “No, that's not... I... It's fine.”

He wasn't as dense as a certain nerdy dino girl, so he knew exactly what Blooky was really trying to say. Grinning, he lowered his lashes at them. “Well, alright then. I hope you get used to hearing me calling you 'darling', darlin'.”

To hide their cutely reddening face, Napstablook quickly turned away and floated over to their desk. They stayed there for a moment, just floating, probably trying to compose themself. They retrieved two pairs of headphones from the desk and handed a pair to him when they returned.

“Um...” They fidgeted some more, belatedly realizing something. “Can you even wear headphones? I-I'm sorry. I messed up. I don't know how you listen to things now that you have a physical body. That was insensitive. Maybe I should go lay on the roof alone...”

That got out of hand way too quickly. He hadn't even said anything to them.

Laughing, he pushed back his hair on one side to show them his receivers. “It's fine. You see? I can wear headphones. I'm state of the art. You could whisper into these babies and I'd hear you loud 'n' clear. Truth be told, though... I could hear you even without them! Don't forget – even though I have this body, I'm still just like you on the inside. Don't go telling anyone else about that, though. That's our little secret.”

Reminding them that they shared a secret seemed to make them a little happier.

He put on the headphones he'd been given and Napstablook shuffled over. Even though they used them all the time, they still struggled to put the headphones on by themself with their little ghosty arms. If they kept trying on their own, they were going to get fed up and cry tears strong enough to lift them onto their head. Feeling pity at the sight, Mettaton took their headphones from them and placed them on their head. Quietly, Napstablook thanked him.

“Having arms is nice,” he said, giving them a cheeky grin.

Without any response, Napstablook moved beside him and carefully connected their headphone cords with a cord splitter and plugged it into their phone. They used to have thousands of songs on their phone. Since the last time Mettaton had been around, though, it seemed like they must have gone and gotten a new phone. He didn't recognize the one they were using now. It wasn't a big deal or anything, but it was a reminder that time had indeed passed.

It didn't matter how many things stayed the same. Without question, there were some things that had to have changed. As normal as things seemed, he kept hoping that they were the same.

“Um,” Napstablook glanced up at him, cradling their phone. “What would you like to listen to? Something... with a lot of energy? Something exciting and catchy?”

Normally, he would've said yes. Napstablook knew him well because that sounded like his type of music; something fun that he could really get down to. But 'exciting' was all he did anymore. It was time for something a little different to revitalize his creative energy.

“Why don't you let me hear what you've been into lately?” Seeing the uncertain look they were giving him, he added, “Humor me.”

Glancing at him one more time, Napstablook laid down on the floor and began scrolling through their music. It seemed like it was going to take them a while to choose, tasked with such a tough decision, so Mettaton laid down beside them to wait. There wasn't anything else to do, but it occurred to him that that was fine too. It couldn't have been _that_ long since he'd been there, but he'd forgotten about how boring Napstablook's house was. It was a completely different place compared to the stage, lacking all of the glitz and glamour.

But that was fine.

“How about this?” Napstablook asked, having finally decided on a song.

After they pressed play, Mettaton rested his head back and focused on listening, letting his eyes aimlessly roam the ceiling. It was innocuous enough at first – just a few simple piano chords spread far apart from each other – but the bass gradually came in to hold its smooth groove as the piano found its rhythm. Was that... _xylophone_ he was hearing? A little unexpected, but perhaps that was to be expected of Napstablook's taste.

As he continued listening, his eyes gradually began to close, making it easier to surround himself with its sound. Before too long, he couldn't even tell that he was wearing headphones anymore. It felt as though its calm, resonant notes were all around him, slowly transforming into an image at the back of his eyelids of a place far, far away, somewhere among the stars. It was one thing to feel the rush of adrenaline he received when he was on stage, but there was something equally nice about laying on the floor, doing nothing at all as the music took over. They were both transformative experiences, but laying on the floor was so... quiet.

Tranquil.

Yes, that was the word he'd been looking for.

It wasn't boring or lonely at all.

Slowly, he opened his eyes and turned on his side. For a little while, he watched Napstablook, intrigued by how calm they looked. They were laying on their back, their phone resting on their stomach. Just looking at them, Mettaton could imagine what sort of universe they were in.

When he used to close his eyes, he'd imagine being somewhere far away. He still made that mistake. The truth was, they didn't go anywhere. That was the real magic behind their family tradition. Watching Napstablook's calm, relaxed face made him realize that. When they closed their eyes and let the music carry them away, they were going somewhere deep within themselves, to their own infinite, miniature universes.

That place he saw behind his eyelids didn't exist out on the surface.

“Wow...”

Napstablook's eyes opened and they turned to him, some of their nervousness returning. “Do you like it?”

“It's rather sullen. Very dreary.” Napstablook was beginning to frown. “But it has a nice groove to it. Despite its initial tone, it's actually quite romantic-sounding, don't you think so?”

The tears at the corners of their eyes disappeared in a flash. “Y... Yeah! I like it. It's a song I can really lay around and reflect on the difficulties of everyday life to. The world feels small and meaningless when I listen to a song like this.”

“I know what you mean,” Mettaton agreed, nodding. Putting his chin in his palms, he continued to watch his cousin as the song continued.

“I have something on my face, don't I?” Napstablook asked, sounding defeated.

There really wasn't, but Mettaton was too amused by them to not tease them a little. “There is,” he said. Reaching over, he poked them on the nose. “A little nose, a little mouth, and two sad eyes. You know, Blooky, you could always get a body like mine. I could ask Alphys for you. After what an outrageous success I've been, I'm sure she would agree. Think about it – you could look _this_ beautiful.”

For emphasis, he lifted one leg in the air and gestured at it proudly. He was a masterpiece. Blooky could be a masterpiece, too. Or... Perhaps not as much of a masterpiece as him, but a piece of a masterpiece, at least! That would still make them one thousand times more beautiful than the average person.

“I'll think about it,” they said, “but it'll probably just make me sad.”

“Blooky, everything makes you sad. Why not give it some consideration? A physical body might do something to improve your life.”

“I'll... think about it...” Looking sad, they turned aside, facing away from him.

“Blooky-” Mettaton grabbed their side and turned them back around. “Hey, come on now. Don't get down about it. When you say that, I can tell that you mean you aren't really going to think about it. If you're going to be that way, then just think about it now. What could be so bad about it?”

After a moment's hesitation, Napstablook turned their eyes up to him. “If I become corporeal, will I leave too? Someone has to take care of the snails.”

So they were worried about the snails...

Mettaton gave a dramatic sigh. “The snails would be fine. Just because you get a body, it doesn't mean you have to run off and become a TV show host. You can still take care of the snail ranch. Without a doubt, you'd be the most gorgeous snail rancher in the underground. You can trust that I know a good idea when I see one. With a body like mine, you and the farm would become so popular that you'd create a new boom of interest in Thundersnail!”

They didn't appear to be sold on the idea yet. “I don't know... I don't have your charisma. And I'm uncomfortable when I'm around lots of people... And if I continued working at the snail farm with a physical body, I think people might figure out your secret.”

That didn't sound like a very solid argument. If Napstablook got a body, no one would even notice. Unless they were blocking someone's path, they tended to blend right into the background. Aside from the human, they didn't have any friends, so if they started working at the farm with a body, people would probably think they were someone else entirely.

Ignoring that last part, Mettaton decided to strike at what he knew Napstablook valued most.

“You want to save the family business, don't you?”

Their eyes widened.

“I... I do...”

Gently, Mettaton placed a hand on the side of their face. “I'm sure it would work out, and it'll make you happier. You might be uncomfortable around lots of people, but I'm not, so... So, maybe I could come back around sometimes. Just to... You know- Help with the farm and stuff. Snails are really lame, but if I came around to show my support, business would be guaranteed! I'd just have to say something like, 'This fine farm is Mettaton approved!' and you'd be booming with business.”

Finally, they really seemed to be considering it. Napstablook rolled back onto their back and stared up at the ceiling. Mettaton wondered if they were going to say anything else, but enough time passed where he began to give up on the hope of them furthering the conversation. Deciding that it was time to let them think about it on their own some more, he also laid back and closed his eyes again. The song had moved on to a different one, but it was another relaxing one very similar to the first.

He cared a lot about Napstablook.

There was something about the music's sombre melody that made him realize that he cared so much because he hated the thought of leaving them alone again.

His biggest fan had always been watching him. He owed it to them to watch out for them, too. He hoped that he could find a way for Napstablook to succeed on their own, but maybe the truth was... he just wanted an excuse to return.

He turned onto his side again and put his cheek in his palm. “Hey, Blooky.”

Napstablook's eyes had closed, but they blinked open at the sound of their name. Without moving, they looked over at him. “Yeah?”

“Thanks for this. It might not seem like it, but I'm having a great time.” He lowered his eyes, stared at the floor between them. “Even great performers like me require a change of pace from time to time. I remember what I used to say, though. I thought that life around here was so boring. I thought that living here was worse than being dead, but now my life's exciting. It's exciting all the time. That's why... I lost the time for the family tradition. Sometimes... Things don't have to be exciting, you know?”

Napstablook watched Mettaton curiously as he moved closer, and they gave a startled jump when they felt him put his arms around them.

“I'm sorry, Blooky. I think I forgot about that.”

Another moment of silence passed, bridged only by the quiet melody surrounding them through their headphones. To his surprise, Mettaton felt Napstablook move closer, pressing up against him. It was almost like they were trying to return his hug, but it was impossible with those tiny little arms. They were trying, though. They were trying quite valiantly.

Their face warming with color, Napstablook looked up at him. “Okay,” they said.

“'Okay'?” Mettaton repeated. No one could blame him for feeling confused. “Do you not accept my apology?”

“Oh... No, that's not what I mean. I just-” Napstablook squirmed and faintly faded. “I think I see why it would be nice to have arms now.”

As he realized what they were really saying, Mettaton felt warmth fill up his chest. He wasn't overheating. He was just so happy. “Oh, Blooky darling!” he cooed, nuzzling the top of their head. Napstablook squirmed more and tried to get him to stop, but they quieted down right away when they felt him kiss their forehead. “You're gonna see how wonderful it can be! Until then, I'll hold you with these lovely arms of mine as much as you'd like. No one else gets to feel my loving embrace, you know. This is something special I'll only give my number one fan – my little special Blooky!”

“Y-you don't have to waste your time on someone like me-”

“Oh, hush hush,” Mettaton said, squeezing them tighter. “This is our time for family tradition, so let's enjoy it. Don't fall into any negative thoughts.”

The next time he closed his eyes, the song changed to something lighter. It probably hadn't been long, but it felt like he'd been laying on the floor with them for a long time, and time just continued to stretch on the longer they laid there. Napstablook had always had a very unobtrusive presence, and they were very still and quiet even when being held.

Rather than drifting away, Mettaton found himself feeling more focused on Napstablook. He wasn't sure whether that was defeating the purpose of the tradition.

“Um... Hey,” Napstablook said, showing that they weren't as lost in it yet either. “This isn't as sad with two people. With you here, I almost don't feel like garbage.”

Smiling at them, Mettaton gave them another small smooch.

“I feel better with me here, too.”

**Author's Note:**

> You can use your imagination to decide what they were listening to if you want, but I was listening to "It's Raining Somewhere Else" from the OST to come up with a description for the first song.
> 
> Thank you for reading, darlings! [poses]


End file.
